Building structure



Aug. 29, 1967 v. PRUS 3,337,999

BUILDING STRUCTURE I Filed March l5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l G' 2 INVENTOR Victor PRUS ATTORNEY Allg. 29, v PRUS BUILDING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March l5, 1965 FIG.3

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INVENTOR Victor PRUS ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,337,999 BUILDING STRUCTURE Victor Prus, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assigner to Bois, McCay & Associates Ltd., Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed Mar. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 439,770 Claims. (C1. 52-2) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In an improved building structure, an improved roof construction comprising a plurality of integrally connected, mutually parallel tubes having a polygonal horizontal cross section, in which the tubes are vertically staggered to produce different configurations, and the roof construction is suspended between peripheral supports and the roof construction is trussless.

In the past, control of the climatic conditions existing over relatively large areas such as, for example, botanical gardens, exhibition areas and sports arenas, has been accomplished by employing truss-supported area enclosing covers. Such structures generally involve the use of a framework which supports a protective covering or skin and when such a framework and covering are employed it is almost always necessary to use two or more heterogenous materials. Large-span roof structures employing two or more heterogenous materials have disadvantages which arise from the differential expansion and contraction of the respective materials. This results i-n stresses and strains being set up across the span and the span therefore requires constant maintenance to insure that it remains safe. In addition, homogenous shells of concrete and sheet aluminum have been employed as covers for large areas.

Particular difliculties have heretofore been encountered in cases where the span is to cover an extremely large area and when the covering forming the spa-n must be transparent or translucent. Attempts to cover such large areas have included employing a framework ywhich serves to support a roof covering of glass but in view of the considerable weight of glass, such structures, particularly when a large span is involved, must be supported around their periphery on side walls or on arches resting in turn on buttresses and must also be supported by columns distributed over the varea so covered. Where the area enclosed is a botanical garden or the like these columns do not present any great difficulty, but where a sports arena or stadium is involved the columns obviously cannot be arranged in the playing area. Furthermore, columns cannot be arranged around the periphery of the playing area without resulting in undue restriction of the vision of spectators by producing a number of blindspots Structures of the form of inverted domes, hyperbolic paraboloids and catenary tensioned membranes have been constructed for use as arenas for sports or as amphitheaters for concerts etc. It has heretofore been necessary to construct these bowls using conventional building materials such as pre-cast concrete, co-ncrete cast in situ, and structural steel. The structure according to the present invention is particularly useful in this field of activity.

Broadly stated the structure of the present invention is constructed from an array of building blocks each of which consists of a hexagonal tube. The geometry of the array is a so-called close packing pattern, that is, a pattern yielding most volume with the least amount of Walling in both two and three dimensional patterns. The tubes can be vertically staggered with respect to one another to achieve the desired configuration. For example,

any of the following configurations can be arrived at by suitable vertical staggering:

concave (sau- Elongated covers of any desired configuration can also be constructed, for example, covers for elongated walkways.

The invention will n ow be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of la dome-like structure in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a cross section, with the right hand half in elevation, taken on the line 2 2 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View of one building tube according to the present invention, and

FIGURE 5 is a cross section of a small portion of a building structure according to the present invention.

Referring firstly to FIGURE 4, the building tube 10 shown therein is hexagonal in plan view, open at one end but closed at the other by a wall 11. The wall 11 has a slight convex camber and a centrally located hemispherical dome or blister 12 therein. Each tube 10 is made of translucent glass-fibre reinforced, polyester resin, and the blister 12 is lof transparent 'acrylic resin to allow light to pass. The upright walls of each tube can be corrugated and have, in horizontal cross section, a wave-like form. This helps alignment of the tubes and in addition stiffen the walls against horizontal deformation.

Turning now to FIGURE 5, this figure shows a Very small part of a building structure, only three tubes 10 being shown. The tubes, referenced 10A, 10B, and 10C are of different lengths, the tube 10A being shortest and the tube 10C longest. The tubes 10A, 10B, 10C are bonded to one another by a polyester adhesive so that effectively the three tubes of FIGURE 5 constitute a monolithic structure. Mechanical connections such as bolts can, if building requirements make it necessary, be used in addition to the bonding of the tubes 10. Such bolts can also serve to ensure proper lpositioning and alignment of the tubes by pressing the bolts through predrilled bolt holes.

Each tube 10A, 10B and 10C projects above a curved line indicated at L. The line L can be considered to represent the outline of the dome of which the tubes form a part. As stated, the tubes 10A, 10B and 10C lie along one curved line and this curved line extends from the rim of the dome towards its uppermost part. As Will become apparent from the following description of FIG- URES 1 to 3, every tube 10, except those Iaround the inner and outer peripheries of the dome, is. surrounded on all six sides by further tubes. Thus each face of almost every tube of the structure contacts and is bonded to one face of a further tube.

Turning now to FIGURES 1 to 3, the dome-like structure illustrated is composed `on a larger number of hexagonal tubes 10 arrayed in such manner that the dome can be considered to have six identical segments. Two of these segments, indicated at A and B, are marked in FIGURE 1.

The dome illustrated was designed with a particular aim in mind, namely, as a weather shield vfor enclosing a space, the climate of which can be controlled and which contains dwellings, lecture rooms, recreational facilities, etc. More specifically, the dome is intended to provide, in any climate, an enclosed space where, for example, senior administrators can convene at any time of the .year and und/erany external weather conditions to review and exchange advanced ideas and knowledge regarding social change. Another use for the dome is to provide inhabitable zones in otherwise inhospitable climates.

The periphery of therdome is defined by a large number of upright pillars 100 which are short compared with the height of the dome. The shape of each of these pillars is such as to present two faces 100A and 100B to the dome, the faces being at an angle of 120. The lower ends of the pillars are embedded in the foundations of the dome and serve to transfer stresses from the dome to the foundations.

The pillars 100, as will be seen from FIGURE 2, are of different heights and also as will be seen from FIGURE l, some are in two -horizontally spaced parts.

Each segment, such as A and B, consists of a closely packed array of tubes which can be considered to be arranged in six sets of rows which extend chordally of thesubstantially circular perimeter of the dome. In the constructional form illustrated the outer row includes eight tubes, the next two rows eleven tubes each and the number of tubes in each subsequent row has one tube less than the preceding row with the final row having three tubes. The inner nine rows of tubes dene nine hexagons having a common centre, and the remaining two outer rows are distributed over Ithe chordal segments dened between the outermost hexagon and the encompassing circle of that hexagon. Adjacent, corresponding rows share an end-of-row tube and define an angle of 120 therebetween. These shared end-of-row tubes are raised above the general level of the surrounding tubes to define a series of six arches extending from the perimeter of the dome towards its centre. Some of the tubes are shown shaded in FIGURES 1 and 2 and these tubes are referenced 150. These tubes serve to contain the equipment by means of which the atmosphere within the space enclosed by the dome can be controlled. For example, extraction fans or fans for drawing treated cooled or heated air into the struct-ure can be provided in the tubes 150.

As will be seen from FIGURE 2, the lower edge of the peripheral (and hence lowest) tubes are spaced from ground level which is indicated at G. The spaces between adjacent pillars 100 and below the bottom edges of the peripheral tubes are glazed, as by the panels 101, to permit maximum horizontal vision from within the dome and in addition constitute entrance ways to the dome.

By way of example, the dome has an outside diameter of nearly 400 ft. and a total height of about 140 ft. The panels 101 are thus about l1 to 12 feet in height, and axial dimension of the tubes ranges from about feet up to about 40 feet.

Each segment such as A and B can be considered to be bounded by two rows of tubes extending radially from the periphery of the dome towards its apex. These radially extending lrows are each shared by two adjacent segments, that is, the segments overlap by one radially extending row. The tubes constituting each of these radial rows are longer than the adjacent tubes and project above the adjacent tubes. This will best be seen from FIGURE 3 in which two tubes, referenced 110 and 111 project above the remaining tubes. The tube 110 is in one radial row and the tube 111 is in the next adjacent row.

As will also be seen from FIGURE 3, the tubes 112, 113 etc. which are between the tubes 110 and 111 in the chordally extending rows, although of the same length,

are not at the same level, these tubes lying on an upwardly convex curve.

:In the form illustrated, the apex of the dome can be used for observation purposes. To this end the apex of the dome is constructed by a hexagonally shaped cap generally indicated at and including Walls 170. A floor extends inwardly from the walls 170 and forms a hexagonal gallery providing a View into the dome as Well as out of the areas provided between half-hexagons (described hereinafter). A lens shaped cap closes the upper part of the dome. The arches formed by the shared tubes meet the cap or platform midway along one of its edges as the cap is offset through 30 with respect to the nine hexagons dened by the tubes. The cap 190 is a pneumatic structure of transparent, synthetic plastic sheet material. It is maintained in shape by having slightly compressed air therein, and any sheet plastic material which is tireproof, has a low air transfer rate, is moisture proof and can withstand the range of operating temperatures can be employed.

A number of the half-hexagonsA 180 surround the walls 170 and these serve, in lthe same manner as the hexagons 150, toVreceive equipment designed to control the atmosphere within the structure.

The dome may also be considered as being composed of three intersecting of parallel arches. Each arch consists of a row of tubes connected one to another by one common face, the tubes varying in vertical length from maximum at the periphery of the dome to minimum at the apex. T-he geometrical centres of gravity of the tubes lie on a curved line which iseither the segment of a circle or a parabola according to the general conguration of the dome. Moreover, these lines are parallel to each other, both in plan and in elevations. Thus, for instance, in a spherical dome these lines are parallel segments of circles generated by progressively smaller yradii as l@hey are sequenced from the apex of the dome down to its periphery. By looking at the dome in this way its geometry becomes simple and the ow of stresses becomes more easy to comprehend.

I claim:

1. In a building construction comprising support means extending vertically from a ground line, a roof construction comprising a trussless, cellular layer subtended between said support means, said cellular layer comprising a plurality of elongated, tubular cells having a polygonal horizontal cross section, the longitudinal axis of said cells being mutually parallel and extending vertically relative to and above said ground line from which said roof construction is supported, adjacent cells being integrally con- Y nected at complementary surfaces, certain of said cells being vertically staggered with respect to other oells of said layer.

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said polygonal horizontal cross section is hexagonal.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 2 in which said tubular cells are progressively vertically staggered and deine a curve.

4. The structure as claimed in claim Z in which tubes located away from peripheral locations of the structure having each of their six faces in contact with one face of another tube, and with the tubes in vertically staggered relationship.

5. The structure as claimed in claim 2 in which certain of said tubular cells include a transparent transverse top wall closing said cer-tain cells.

6. The structure as claimed in claim 2 in which certain of said cells comprise a synthetic, plastic material, and adjacent cells are bonded together and form a monolithic roof construction.

7. The structure as claimed in claim 2 in which said tubular cells are arranged in an array, an outer periphery of which is substantially circular, tubes towards a central part of the array being generally at a different verdome through transparent viewing tical level from tubes at said outer periphery of the array and the vertical level of the tubes varying progressively from the outer periphery towards the centre to deline a structure having a concavo-convex configuration.

8. A dome-shaped building construction comprising a plurality of hexagonal tubes face-to-face with their axes parallel and arranged in an array an outer periphery of which is substantially circular, the tubes being staggered in the direction oftheir axes with tubes towards a central part of the array at a generally higher vertical level than tubes at the outer periphery of the array, and the vertical level of the tubes increasing progressively from said outer periphery towards said central part for delining a curve in a portion of said structure.

9. A dome-shaped building structure including a plurality of hexagonal 4tubes face-to-face with their axes vertical and arranged in an array Ehaving a hexagonal perimeter, the tubes being staggered in the direction of their axes with tubes towards a central part of the array at a generally higher vertical level than tubes at said perimeter of the array and With the vertical level of the tubes increasing progressively from said perimeter towards said central part, the tubes being distributed in sets of rows with the rows of each set parallel and extending chordally with respect to the circle of said perimeter, corresponding rows of adjacent sets having an end-of-row tube in common and defining -an included angle of 120 therebetween whereby the dome includes a number of hexagons having a common centre with each hexagon formed by appropriately angled rows of tubes, the number of hexagons being equal to the number of rows.

10. A dome-shaped structure as defined in claim 9, in which each said end-of-row tube is upwardly staggered with respect to the adjacent tubes of said corresponding rows thereby -to define arches raised above the general level of the structures outer surface and extending radially from said perimeter towards said common centre.

11. A dome-shaped structure as dened in claim 10, and in which the tubes constituting each of said rows are vertically staggered with respect to one another With the tubes at the centre of each row at a general level above the remainder thereby to define a series of chordal upwardly convex arches.

12. A dome-shaped structure according to claim 10, in which the said structure includes the central part of a dome including a peripheral walk-way of hexagonal shape which is 30 offset with respect to hexagons formed by appropriately angled rows of said tubes and forming arches; whereby each arch approaches said walkway midway along one of its edges.

13. A dome-shaped structure according to claim 12, in which said central part of said dome includes a lensshaped cap of sheet, synthetic plastic material the shape of which is maintained by slightly compressed air therein.

14. A dome-shaped building structure including a plurality of hexagonal tubes face-to-face with their axes vertical and arranged in an array the outer periphery of which is substantially circular, the ltubes being staggered in the direction of their axes with tubes towards a central part of the array at a generally higher vertical level than tubes at said outer perimeter and with the vertical level of the tubes increasing progressively from said perimeter towards said central part, tubes Ibeing distributed in six sets of rows with the rows of each set parallel and extending chordally with respect to said perimeter, corresponding rows of adjacent sets having an end-of-row tube in common and each six corresponding rows forming a hexagon whereby a number of hexagons, equal in number to the number of rows, and with a comon centre, are defined, further tubes being distributed exteriorly of an outermost of said hexagons and between said outermost hexagon and its encompassing circle to render the periphery of said array substantially coincident with said circle.

15. A dome-shaped structure according to claim 14, in which said perimeter is defined by a plurality of pillars having faces which define angles of and which interlock with tubes of said further tubes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,922,200 1/ 1960 Atwood 52-309 3,012,477 12/1961 Lodge 52-306 X 3,263,380 8/ 1966 Bourbonnais 52-64 OTHER REFERENCES House and Home, August 1958, page 156.

JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner. C. G. MUELLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A BUILDING CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING SUPPORT MEANS EXTENDING VERTICALLY FROM A GROUND LINE, A ROOF CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A TRUSSLESS, CELLULAR LAYER SUBTENDED BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT MEANS, SAID CELLULAR LAYER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED, TUBULAR CELLS HAVING A POLYGONAL HORIZONTAL CROSS SECTION, THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CELLS BEING MUTUALLY PARALLEL AND EXTENDING VERTICALLY RELATIVE TO AND ABOVE SAID GROUND LINE FROM WHICH SAID ROOF CONSTRUCTION IS SUPPORTED, ADJACENT CELLS BEING INTEGRALLY CONNECTED AT COMPLEMENTARY SURFACES, CERTAIN OF SAID CELLS BEING VERTICALLY STAGGERED WITH RESPECT TO OTHER CELLS OF SAID LAYER. 